10 years ago tomorrow…

…spouse and I were watching television before going to bed. Channel 10 News interrupted to say something was happening in the US but the report hadn’t been officially confirmed. The wall behind the reporter changed to a live shot of the Twin Towers and one building had smoke billowing out.

As the reporter, listening intently to his earpiece, began to tell us that apparently a plane had crashed into one of the towers a second plane flew straight into the second tower. We watched it happen just as if it had been a special effects moment in a movie. It wasn’t real. It was too outrageous to conceive of being real.

Needless to say we didn’t sleep that night as if staying connected to the television might somehow shift everything back to normal. From California to Florida I called each of my children, my mother, sister, friends – I just had hear everyone’s voice – to know everyone was okay.

A lot of Ozzies with no physical connection at all stayed awake that night. The Australian government, at that time led by Prime Minister John Howard didn’t flinch at lending support to the US or following Pres. Bush’s lead into Afghanistan to hopefully ferret out bin Laden. A lot has changed on the political landscape since that night ten years ago but horror at the events of 9/11 remains eked in all our hearts.

To those we lost on that wretched day – even if we didn’t personally know you – know you’re missed.

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4 Responses to “10 years ago tomorrow…”

What a beautifully written tribute! I think everyone knows exactly where they were and what they were doing that clear blue september morning. The attacks were against the world, not just the United States. We’re all human, we’re all fragile, we’re all resilliant, but what happened that day showed us all that we’re there for each other in our time of need.

Thanks for remembering and reminding us that good came from this tragedy.

I remember almost everything about that night. It was about 10pm or so, and I remember watching the news reporter almost break down when they realised that the footage just seen of the second plane going into the building was not a replay, but another crash. I was in high school and had a test the next day (which was cancelled in the end), and stayed up most the night, transfixed by what I was seeing. It was traumatic watching live as people threw themselves out of the office buildings; it felt so helpless! You couldn’t help them.

Due to the time difference we had the ability to watch the whole thing live on that horrible Tuesday night.

Difficult to believe these things happened so long ago now. Next year will be ten years on from Bali, too. I remember everything about that awful time, too. Waking up on Sunday morning after a huge night partying, for my parents to inform me hundreds of Balinese and Australians had been attacked and killed, among others. Jason McCartney being among the badly injured, covered in burns and returning heroically to footy before retiring. Sturt Football Club in Adelaide were at the nightclub that night and several lost their lives too. It was a scary time.